Both the reader, and our new arrivals, need a bit of a briefing... ----- Chapter 15. "Challenges," Carl Edlund said, "are the heart of Arena political maneuvering." The entire group was gathered in one of Humanity's briefing rooms. Well, DuQuesne thought to himself, everyone except Tom and Laila, who're on the Sphere because someone's got to stay there, and Simon, who thinks he's close to finishing his design so he's not letting anyone interrupt. Something else was bothering the physicist, [ Continue reading... ]
Spheres of Influence: Chapter 14
July 12, 2013 By Leave a Comment
Let's get out and about in the Arena, shall we? ----- Chapter 14. "I thank you for being so open-minded, Captain," Oscar Naraj said to her with a more genuine smile than he had given in the first few hours after learning the truth. A couple of days to look at things and mull it over has at least given him some perspective… I hope. "I won't say I'm open-minded on this subject, Ambassador – actually, I'm pretty certain I know exactly what's going to happen – but I'm willing to let you and Deputy Ambassador Ni [ Continue reading... ]
Spheres of Influence: Chapter 13
July 10, 2013 By 11 Comments
It's time to check back in with our party's head scientist and see how he's doing... ----- Chapter 13. The room stretched away in front of Simon, and to both sides, to such distances that he momentarily groped for a true sense of scale. Bakana, he thought. It simply cannot be this large. But it was. The ceilings, set with arched windows from which streamed beams of what seemed pure, natural sunlight (though, perhaps, by the tint, not Earth's sunlight), rose one hundred meters or more; yet it was low, [ Continue reading... ]
Spheres of Influence: Chapter 12
July 8, 2013 By 7 Comments
So, our expected... guests... from Earth system had arrived... ----- Chapter 12. DuQuesne grinned as he saw the three figures crowding together – just as he, Ariane, and Simon had the first time they'd stepped through to Transition. Nothing really prepares you for that. Not when it's real. Oh, sure, simgames have stuff just as impressive in its own way, but you always know in the back of your head it's just a game. Somehow I even knew, in the end, about Hyperion. But this is no [ Continue reading... ]
Spheres of Influence: Chapter 11
July 5, 2013 By Leave a Comment
Now Ariane has some difficult questions... ----- Chapter 11. "Arena," Ariane said to the empty air of her own room in the Embassy of Humanity, "I have serious questions with respect to the operation of a new Faction, and it would seem unwise to trust other Factions for the answers. Will you speak?" She knew from experience that the Arena – or whatever intelligence controlled it – would rarely speak on its own, and even if addressed directly would only speak if the request fit [ Continue reading... ]
Spheres of Influence: Chapter 10
July 3, 2013 By Leave a Comment
We haven't checked in with Simon's point of view in a while... ----- Chapter 10. "Doctor Sandrisson!" Relgof Nov'ne Knarph strode from one of the shining metal and glass doors opening from the immense silver-and-marble appearing lobby of the Embassy of the Analytic and embraced Simon, to the human scientist's momentary surprise. He returned the hug, however. Either they have similar gestures, or he has carefully studied ours and knows that to adopt them will make him seem closer to us. Not [ Continue reading... ]
Spheres of Influence: Chapter 9
July 1, 2013 By Leave a Comment
Orphan had a problem... ----- Chapter 9. DuQuesne studied Orphan carefully. He's good at playing the game. But I don't think he's doing much of that right now. He means it. "You can't do this yourself? A one-man ship or something like that?" As Orphan's hands flicked outward, Ariane answered. "I don't think that would be practical – not if he's going into the, what did they call it, Deeps, the areas away from settled Spheres." "Alas, exactly correct, Captain Austin." Orphan's [ Continue reading... ]
Spheres of Influence: Chapter 8
June 28, 2013 By 19 Comments
Well, they'd gotten a call from Orphan, who made a most interesting statement... ----- Chapter 8. "Welcome back, Captain Austin, Dr. DuQuesne," Orphan said expansively as she and Marc entered, Wu Kung just behind her. Simon was visiting Relgof and the Analytic, starting discussions to find out about the Sky Gates, while Gabrielle and Carl were moving their merchandise from the Grail to the Embassy; Laila Canning was currently at the Embassy in case others came to call. Orphan's hard, [ Continue reading... ]
Spheres of Influence: Chapter 7
June 26, 2013 By 2 Comments
They'd just sat down to discuss their problems... ----- Chapter 7. "Well, that does seem to rather complicate things," Laila said, pushing her own bobbed brown hair back with a distracted air. Ariane noted that she seemed to have absorbed the data-dump more easily than Carl. Not surprising – she was used to having three fully-active AISages before we came here, and losing them nearly killed her. If anyone can handle immense amounts of data in one shot, it's Dr. Laila Canning. "Yeah. Whoa." [ Continue reading... ]
Spheres of Influence: Chapter 6
June 24, 2013 By 2 Comments
Well, Our Heroes had arrived back in the Arena; it was time to head to the Embassy and meet up with the rest of the group... ----- Chapter 6. That's Wu, DuQuesne thought with a fond smile, even as he and the other three followed the impulsive Monkey King through. Even when he's on-duty, he's still a kid in so many ways. As they arrived, he heard Wu give an exclamation that meant roughly "wonderful!" . In a single flurry of motion Wu Kung streaked up the Gateway, reached the very crest of [ Continue reading... ]
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